What 208 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Outback Wilderness

Driving at highway speeds with over half a tank of gas and car just shut down, no warning lights, no noise just shut down and lost all control. Fortunately was able to safely move to shoulder. Sat there for a few minutes, called subaru dealer (no suggestions though i now know there is a recall (NHTSA 21V587000) for an identical problem in newer subaru outbacks and also plenty of online sites suggesting this has happened to other outbacks. Car restarted and we were able to complete our ride home, very scary to think of what could have happened if we were in a different situation of traffic or highway conditions.

NHTSA ODI 11431152

AT APPROXIMATELY 50K MILES, A YEAR OR SO AGO, THIS CAR DEVELOPED A SERIOUS HESITATION WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STANDSTILL OR TRYING TO GAIN SPEED FROM ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 40 MPH. TRIED SEVERAL METHODS TO CORRECT THIS SUGGESTED BY OUR MECHANIC WHICH INCLUDED INJECTOR CLEANER, HIGH OCTANE GAS, MORE CLEANER, BETTER QUALITY GAS AND NOTHING HAS WORKED, WE HAVE READ THAT THERE NUMEROUS CUSTOMERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT SUBARU DOES NOTHING. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ORE BUY-BACK. WE ARE CONCERNED WE WILL BE IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT WON'T MANEUVER PROPERLY WHILE IN TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11324815

DELAYED GAS PEDAL RESPONSE=HESITATION TO ACCELERATE WHEN GAS PEDAL ENGAGED FROM A STATIONARY STOP. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE FROM A STOPPED POSITION IN EXCESS OF 25 TIMES OVER A MORE THAN 5 YEAR PERIOD. THE SUBARU IS NOT MINE BUT A RELATIVES CAR. IN EARLY FEBRUARY 2019, I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. TRAFFIC COMING AT ME WAS UP A HILL WITH A GRADE OF 6% OR MORE WHICH LIMITED THE LINE OF SIGHT FOR SOMEONE WANTING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AT THAT INTERSECTION. AS I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO MAKE THE TURN THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE CAR. THE CAR COMING UP THE HILL WAS UPON ME. I PUMPED THE GAS SEVERAL TIMES AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. MY WIFE AND I WERE INCHES AWAY FROM BEING WACKED BY THE OTHER CAR. THE CAR APPROACHING HAS A SPEED LIMIT OF 45 MPH BUT WAS MOST LIKELY TRAVELING IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH. ONCE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, WE PULLED TO THE CURB TO GATHER OURSELVES. THAT'S WHEN I SAID ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND SENT TWO LETTERS TO TOM DOLL OF SUBARU. ONE IN FEBRUARY & APRIL 2019. HE OF COURSE PASS IT ON TO CSERVICE. THE INDIVIDUAL WROTE BACK SAYING NOTHING IS WRONG. I AM A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER AND HAVE BEEN FOR MANY YEARS. I POINTED OUT ALL ENGINEERS INCLUDING AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS MUST ADHERE TO A CODE OF ETHICS & ADHERE TO THE ''HIGHEST STANDARDS OF HONESTY AND INTEGRITY, AND MUST BE DEDICATED TO THE PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE AND MUST ADHERE TO THE HIGHEST PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL CONDUCT.'' THAT MEANT NOTHING TO SUBARU. CLEARLY FROM MY EXPERIENCE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK AND IT'S RANDOM FAILURE TO ACCELERATE DUE TO A DELAYED GAS PEDAL RESPONSE.

NHTSA ODI 11318118

3 TO 15 SECOND HESITATION IN THROTTLE RESPONSE. LAST INCIDENT NEARLY RESULTED IN A COLLISION. I STOPPED WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR BEFORE MAKING AN LEFT TURN. MADE THE LEFT TURN, GENTLY APPLIED THE THROTTLE PEDAL, NO RESPONSE, PUSHED IT TO MAXIMUM TRAVEL, STILL NO RESPONSE, CAR COMING TOWARD ME IN ONCOMING LANE, THEN MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED SO THAT A COLLISION WAS AVOIDED. CITY 2 LANE STREET, TURNING LEFT.

NHTSA ODI 11173783

ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR SLOW SPEED TAKES 5-6 SECONDS FOR A PROPER RESPONSE. TURNING LEFT IS A VERY REAL PROBLEM OR PULLING INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE YET TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I AM EXTREMELY CAREFUL, BUT HAVE COME FRIGHTINGLY CLOSE A FEW TIMES. CAN THIS PROBLEM BE FIXED? THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, TURNING,BRAKING (SLOWING DOWN AND THEN TRYING TO GO BACK TO NORMAL SPEED. THIS HAPPENS ON INTERSTATES, AROUND TOWN, ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11015970

AT TIMES WHEN YOU PRESS THE ACCELERATOR FROM A STOP IT TAKES 5 OR 6 SECONDS TO RESPOND.I WAS PULLING ON TO THE HIGHWAY TURNING LEFT.THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS OR EVEN FATAL INCIDENT IF THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC.READING FROM THE INTRNET I SEE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM AS FAR BACK AS 2013.SOMEONE NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE DIES.

NHTSA ODI 10980329

PULLING CAR INTO PARKING SPACE AT SLOW SPEED WHEN CAR, WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT, SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. HEAVY PRESSURE ON BRAKES, DRIVER FELT THE ABS CYCLING, DID NT STOP VEHICLE. FINALLY, AFTER COLLIDING WITH A PARKED CAR, NOSE TO NOSE AND PUSHING OTHER CAR OUT OF ITS PARKING SPOT, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR MY MOVING TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR TO PARK

NHTSA ODI 10884119

VEHICLE HESITATES OCCASIONALLY ON ACCELERATION COMING OFF A STOP.

NHTSA ODI 10717533

FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS, MY VEHICLE MANY TIMES HESITATES FOR AT LEAST 3-5 SECONDS WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP/REST AT A STOP LIGHT, ALMOST CAUSE ACCIDENT WHEN TRYING TO ENTER INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN AROUND 2000 - 3000/RPM. THE CAR EVEN EXHIBITED SLIGHT JERKY WHEN AT THE START OF ACCELERATING UP A SLIGHT SLOPPY HILL. THIS IS SERIOUS ISSUE AS ACCIDENT IS IMMINENT WHEN THE CAR HAS NO ACCELERATION WHEN TRYING TO GET GOING IN TRAFFIC. THIS ISSUE IS COMMONLY EXPERIENCED BY OTHER DRIVERS (ONLINE FORUM) : HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/66-PROBLEMS-MAINTENANCE/98450-2014-OUTBACK-ACCELERATION-HESITATION.HTML

NHTSA ODI 10715452

WHEN DRIVING A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK I EXPERIENCE A 2-4 SECOND HESITATION UPON ACCELERATING. IT FIRST HAPPEN WHEN TURNING LEFT, CROSSING TRAFFIC. I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING HAPPENED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT JUST HORNS BEEPING FROM THE CAR I CUT OFF. IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP ONTO A HIGHWAY. THAT TIME I APPLIED THE BRAKES AS IT LUNGED FORWARD BEFORE ENTERING TRAFFIC. IT HAPPENED A FEW MORE TIMES AT A STOP LIGHT IN THE 1 WEEK I DROVE IT. THE ENGINE SEEMS TO STAY AT AN IDLE AND THEN AFTER THE 2-4 SECOND DELAY SUDDENLY ACCELERATES ACCORDING TO THE LEVEL THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THIS IS MY DAUGHTER'S VEHICLE AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT HER AND HER FAMILY'S SAFETY. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON LINE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH SUBARUS, NOT JUST OUTBACKS. I ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO GET THIS CHECKED OUT AND THEY TOLD ME THERE ARE NO SERVICE NOTIFICATIONS REGARDING HESITATIONS SO THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING! THEY STATED THAT IS NORMAL WITH A CVT TRANSMISSION. BELIEVE ME, THAT IS NOT NORMAL AND IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. PLEASE REVIEW THE ON LINE COMPLAINTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10689951

THE CAR DOES NOT STAY ON. STARTED THE CAR BY TURNING THE KEY TO THE "START" POSITION FROM THE "ON" POSITION. THE CAR STARTS BUT ONCE THE KEY MOVES BACK TO "ON", THE CAR STOPS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE BEEN STRANDED BY THIS OCCURRENCE. AFTER 20-30MINS, THE CAR STARTS AGAIN. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHEN IT WAS RELATIVELY HOT (+85 DEGREES F). SEEMS TO BE AN IGNITION ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10644957

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY BEGINS TO SMELL OF GASOLINE. SOON THEREAFTER, ACCELERATION BECOMES HESITANT AND THE LOW-FUEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THE VEHICLE QUICKLY BECAME INOPERABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD. THE VEHICLE IS A MODEL YEAR 2014 AND WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW, LESS THAN SEVEN [7] MONTHS AGO (FROM THE DATE THIS COMPLAINT WAS POSTED). THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY APPROXIMATELY 9,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN UNDER ANY ESPECIALLY SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS OR THROUGH TREACHEROUS TERRAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10629818

IN TANK ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP CONTINUED RUNNING AFTER CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND KEY WAS REMOVED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10572771